On the Significance of Google's New Cardboard: An Idea Worth Recycling 42
Last week at Google I/O, the company introduced Cardboard, its cheap-and-cheerful (it's made of cardboard, after all) approach to nearly instant VR viewing. It's no Oculus Rift — lacking the Rift's connection to a powerful backend PC, it can't do the same heavy lifting. In fact, it looks sort of like a prank, and the announcement at I/O that everyone at the conference would be getting "a piece of cardboard" drew a lot of chuckles. Gigaom argues that it's nonetheless extremely valuable, because it makes immersive viewing easy and cheap for anyone with a fairly capable smartphone — a pretty satisfying experience in itself, and a good taste of what even higher-end viewers can bring. "In addition to the Cardboard app," writes an anonymous reader, "Google has pushed out an updated version of Google Maps which includes a VR mode for Street View." And if you weren't blessed with an I/O pass, and aren't sure about your skills cutting one out of a pizza box, note that you can buy a kit for about $25, including the RF tag that will tell a phone to fire up the Cardboard app. (The linked article says an aluminum version is in the works from at least one company; I'd like to see one in corrugated plastic — strong but light — and with connection points for a headstrap.) If you've made something similar (or would like to), what would you improve in the design or feature set? (Look soon for a video introduction to Cardboard with Google VP Clay Bavor, too.)
Re:Focus? (Score:5, Informative)
With the correct lens, yes.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek's microscope was held up close to the eye, and it was a single lens enstrument.
http://www.history-of-the-micr... [history-of...oscope.org]
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BMO
Re:Don't forget these (Score:5, Informative)
I can't seem to find the exact date of introduction anywhere; but the PR shots are all taken with a 30-pin iDevice that doesn't look like a 4, lacking the distinctive 'holding it wrong' antenna-edge, so it can't be terribly new. I don't think you get the fancy NFC tag; but it's $8 and preassembled...